Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-07-30

furiously. They always did this about once
a week, nor did they cease from troubling
till each retired, temporarily blinded, to the
shade of n separate orange tree, where they
spent the rest of the week in recovering, only
to emerge when the cure was effected and
fight their battles over again. Meanwhile Il
third cock, young in years but old il wisdom,
who steadily refused to fight when attacked,
looked after the hens in dispute. To-day the
fight was particularly %ferocious, AMI, fearing
that tho combatants would have no eyes left
at all if she did not interfere, Bessie called to
the old Boer hound who was living in the sun
on the veranda:
"Hi, Stomp, Stomp-hunt them, Stomp!"
Up jumped Stomp and made a prodigious
show of furiously attacking the embattled
cocks; it was an operation to which he was
used, and which afforded him constant
amusement. Suddenly, however, as lie
dashed toward the trees he stopped midway,
his simulated wrath ceased, and, instead, al
expression Of real disgust canie upon his
honest face. Then tho %hair,along his back
bone stood up like tho quilts upon the frctful
%porcupine, and he growled.
"a strange Kattir, l expect" said Bessie to
herself.
Stomp hated strange Kafirs. She had
scarcely got tho words out before they were
justified by the appearance of a native. He
was a villainous looking fellow, with one eye,
and nothing Oh but q pair of ragged trousers
fastened round the waist with a greasy
leather strap. In his wool, however, were
stuck several small distended bladiers, such
as are generally worn by medicine men and
witch doctors. In his left hand he held a
long stick cleft at the end. In the cleft was
a letter.
"Come here. Stomp" said Bessie, and as
she did so q wild hope shot across her heart
like a meteor across the night; perhaps the
letter was from John.
Tho dog obeyed her unwilling!y enough,
for lie evidently did not like that Kafir; and
when he saw that Stomp was we'll out of the
way the Kaffir himself followed. lie was
an insolent fellow, and took no notice of Bcs-
sic beyond squatting himself down upon the
drive in front Of her.
trembling rs she spoke.
"a letter" answered the man.
"Give it to me-"
mo, missile, not till I havo looked ut you to
see if it is right. Light yellow hair that
u ShSShlh Az ia uo AlisClS, JCSs
that is right; large blue eyes-two, that is
right; big and tall, and fair os a star-yes,
the letter is for you, take it." and he poked
tho long stick up almost into her face.
"Whero is it fromf' asked Bessie, with sud-
den suspicion, recoiling a step.
"Wakkerstroom last"
"Who is it 'FRONT.'"
"Read it, and you will Sec"
Bessie took the letter, which was wrapped
up in a piece Of old newspaper, from the cleft
Of the stick and turned it over and over
do%ubtfully. Most Of US ave a mistrust Of
strange looking letters, and this letter was
unusually strange. To begin with, it had no
address whatever on the dirty envelope,
which was curious. In the second place, tho
envelope was sealed apparently with q three
penny bit.
Are you sure it is for me?" asked Bessie.
"Yah, yah-sure, sure" answered tho ma
tive, with u rude laugh. "Therc arc not many
such whito girls In the Transvaal. l have
made no mistake. have 'smelt you out"
And he began to go through his catalogue
"Yellow hair that curls," y etc.-again.
Then Bessie opened the letter. Inside was
al ordinary sheet of paper written over in n
bold, firm, yet slightly Impractical writing
that Bessie knew we'll enough, and the sight
of which filed her with a prcsentimcnt Of
evil. 1t was Frank Mulleris.
She turned sick and cold, but could not
choose, and read as follows:
"CAMP NEAT PRETORIA, Feb. Is.
"DEAR MISS BESSIE am sorry to have
to write to you; but though VIC have quar-
relied lately, and also your good uncle, l
think it my duty to do so, and send this tc
your hand by special runner Yesterday
was a sortie made by tho poor folk in Pre-.
toria, who are now rs thin with hunger us the
high veldt oxen just before spring. Dur arms
were again victorious; the redcoats ran away
and left their ambulance in our hands, carry.
ing with them many dead and wounded.
Among tho dead was the Capt. Nicl"-
Here Bessie gave a sort of choked cry, and